Medical procedures in a wide range of fields, including cardiology, endoscopy, vascular surgery, oncology, radiology, urology, electrophysiology, gynecology, otolaryngology, anesthesiology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, and numerous other fields frequently include the introduction of objects, such as instruments and devices, into a patient's anatomy. Common objects include needles, trocars, dilators, guide wires, catheters, cannulas, sheaths, balloons, stent grafts, and ablators, among many others. During such procedures, it is often desirable to minimize fluid loss, for example through the opening through which the above devices enter the patient's anatomy, and through the devices or instruments themselves.
For this purpose, medical devices and instruments commonly incorporate fluid flow control systems. Prior art fluid flow control systems may inadequately control fluid loss under certain conditions, for example during procedures requiring the introduction of devices with a range of diameters. Additionally, changes in material properties of prior art systems may lead to degraded performance during the course of a medical procedure. Additionally, prior art systems may require active input by a human operator, e.g., turning a handle, which introduces the possibility of errors or mishandling, leading to longer procedure times.
The fluid control systems disclosed herein address these known issues, and can be used in many medical applications that require fluid leakage control during the procedure. This application refers to devices, but it is to be understood that the invention may be readily practiced in the context of instruments and other objects without limitation.